ChatGPT can now lock chats behind a PIN
Hide sensitive chats from history and search. But forgetting your PIN and resetting it deletes every locked chat for good.
You can now move a ChatGPT conversation out of your regular history, pinned chats and search, and open it only with a 4-digit account PIN, or Face ID, Touch ID or device unlock on supported phones. It is rolling out gradually, so you may not see Lock chat yet.
What changed#
Before, archiving hid a chat, but OpenAI's help center says "Archived chats remain searchable even though they do not appear in your regular chat history." Locked chats leave regular search too and live under Projects > Locked chats. On the web, access ends when you refresh or close the tab; on phones, after 1 minute away or in the background, per the help article.
Why it matters#
Our read: this is a screen-sharing and shared-device control, not a vault. The help article says locking does not "create end-to-end encryption or a separate encrypted vault," and does not change retention or your Improve the model setting.
How to use it#
These steps follow OpenAI's help article.
- Open the more options menu (•••) for the chat.
- Select Lock chat, then select Lock chat again to confirm.
- Create or enter the account PIN when prompted.
- To open it later, select Projects, then Locked chats, and enter your PIN or use supported device authentication.
- To change the PIN, open Settings > Security and login > Account PIN. You need your current PIN, and changing it keeps your locked chats.
Good to know#
- Forgetting the PIN can cost you the chats. Per the help article, "Resetting your account PIN permanently deletes all locked chats," along with memories and files protected only by that PIN, and "OpenAI Support cannot recover the deleted content." A workspace admin can't reset it for you.
- Which plans: OpenAI's pages differ. The Oct 20 release notes say locked chats are "rolling out gradually to Free, Go, Plus, and Pro users." The help article says they "are available on ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu," and @ChatGPT posted "Rolling out starting today to Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu plans." The help article excludes ChatGPT for Healthcare.
- Where it works. On desktop it needs the new ChatGPT app, and Voice isn't available in locked chats there. Codex conversations and local Work conversations can't be locked, and neither can temporary, archived, group or scheduled-task chats.
- Workspaces. In Enterprise and Edu, locked chats still appear in Compliance Platform logs, and admins can't turn the feature off.
- Not copy-proof. The help article says "Anyone who can open a locked chat can still copy its contents."
